Algerie Telecom (AT) has pledged to invest DZD431 million (USD5.49 million) in order to improve telecoms infrastructure in the province of Tamanrasset. Agence Ecofin reports that the project aims to upgrade broadband services in several municipalities in the region with the deployment of 50 multi-service access nodes (MSAN) for internet access and voice telephony. Further, the company has invested DZD70 million in the construction of a mini telecoms centre in the town of Guezzam, while ZDZ161 million was allocated to the communes of Tagamart, Tarhnanet, Tin-Tarabine, Tignaouine, Ifeki and Deghamcha for the deployment of optical fibre infrastructure.

As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, in November 2013 AT CEO Azouaou Mehmel announced that the company plans to increase the download speeds of its existing broadband services by the end of 2013. The telco was looking to upgrade its network in order to compete more effectively with domestic cellcos following the launch of 3G services in the country. Further, AT is replacing its copper infrastructure with a fibre-optic network in order to ‘minimise disruption and inconvenience caused by cable theft, while improving service quality.’